Karamo Njie, UDP North Bank PRO
By Buba Gagigo
Karamo Njie, the Public Relations Officer for the United Democratic Party (UDP) in the North Bank Region, has issued a strong warning to President Adama Barrow, predicting that he will suffer his worst defeat if he runs in the 2026 presidential election. This statement was made in response to recent remarks by President Barrow aimed at the UDP party leader.
“I have listened to President Barrow, and it is sad that it is a sitting president that is talking like that against a party that brought you power. You claim that Darboe never supported you to be president, and he wrote a letter, I challenged you to provide the letter written by Darboe and the people who handed over the letter to you because everyone in the country knows Darboe was in prison at that time,” he said.
Njie explained that Darboe had suggested Isatou Touray run as an independent candidate during the 2016 election because Darboe was ineligible due to his age and imprisonment. However, some coalition leaders disagreed with the idea.
“The truth is, no one knew you (Barrow) at the time, Darboe told Isatou Touray to write for Isatou Touray to contest as an independent candidate because age wise Darboe was not qualified, and he was in jail. But the elders at the time said Isatou Touray was not known in UDP and requested for UDP to select someone from the party, that’s how Adama came, but it was never like Ousainou didn’t like him. Aji Yam Secka and other elders can be my witness,” Karamo Njie said.
Responding to Barrow’s declaration that he will be the National People’s Party (NPP) candidate in 2026, Njie questioned the president’s actions against the media.
“Barrow also said that he is the next NPP candidate and that he will take Darboe to ‘Ardo’ but if so he’s the next NPP candidate. Why is he taking the Voice Journalists to court over allegations Muhammed Jah will be the next NPP candidate? It is today, but there was a time you only mentioned Ousainou Darboe because he made you who you are today. He said we betrayed him, but now let’s see who is the betrayer here. All the People who helped him to establish his party are not close to him now. This is because he brought people who never contributed to the formation of NPP and gave them positions. He betrayed all of them. Where is Alkali Konteh? Where is Fatou Sanneh? Where is Ousainou Bai Sankareh? Where is Siaka Jatta? You betrayed all of them,” he said.
Barrow also criticized Darboe for focusing on UDP’s internal issues rather than NPP, but Njie said Barrow should be more concerned about the disunity in his own party.
“You said Darboe should concentrate on his party problems. I laughed when I heard this statement. It is not a secret to anyone that there’s disunity in the NPP, even in your last statement you were calling for unity within the NPP. How can you talk about disunity in UDP when your party is the worst. All have listened to Kebba Madi Bojang who has spent a lot of money on your party. You have betrayed all of them,” he said.
Njie further accused Barrow of associating with individuals who once insulted him and betraying those who stood by him.
“Tell me one person who joined him from UDP and is not betrayed. There is none. He has taken all of them out of the country. Who knows Muhammed Jah in Politics? What about Saikou Mballow who once said Adama Barrow is a slave. Demba Sabally has never contributed anything to the NPP. Now who is the betrayer? I will leave that for Gambians to answer,” he said.
Njie also criticized Barrow for changing his stance on term limits, pointing out that the president had once supported the idea of stepping down after two terms.
“You also said there is no term limit in the Gambia, but if I were you, I would never mention that. Are you not the same person who said you are a fan of term limits? Darboe is helping you to understand the principles of good governance because if you step down after two terms you will be respected and that’s what Darboe wants for you. But we are not surprised because you have made tons of promises since you came and never fulfilled any.
“Darboe has no business whether you contest or not, he’s just trying to help you. If you want to contest in 2026, I swear that is the time you will, whether Gambians love you or not. It is very clear that Gambians don’t want you now. Just look at the Youth Unemployment, Corruption, all these mismanagements in your government. Just come, you are waiting for the worst embarrassment in 2026,” Njie said.
The United Democratic Party’s North Bank Public Relations Officer stated that Barrow did not address the issues raised by Darboe, suggesting that this was because he lacked answers.
“What Darboe asked is very clear, he asked about what belongs to all of us, he asked about the sales of Mega Bank, the corruption in your government, why didn’t you respond based on that? It is because you don’t have answers to all his questions. And if you say UDP is a party that creates problems, when does that start because you yourself said you were in UDP since its establishment. Were you among the people creating problems? You should think twice before talking. If you don’t want people to criticize you, then you should resign. You know people don’t want you anymore, that’s why you are always angry and come up with all sorts of allegations. It is the UDP that removed Yahya Jammeh and the same UDP will remove you,” he concluded.
Karamo Njie serves as the Public Relations Officer for the United Democratic Party in the North Bank Region.